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Storm surge maps updated at the end of 2010 identify surge levels and evacuation areas in all 67 Florida counties by zone, based on the most vulnerable areas to storm surge.

The revised maps divide the counties into distinct lettered areas to help prepare residents for possible storms. Previously, there was no lettering system and, at times, evacuations could get confusing.

The new system is based on the most recent storm surge data from the National Hurricane Center, using a computer model to estimate storm surge heights and winds from historical, hypothetical or predicted hurricanes, taking into account pressure, size, forward speed, track and wind speed. The result has given emergency management officials a more updated understanding of what could happen in a worst-case scenario.

Gerald Campbell, chief of planning for Lee County Emergency Management, said the state has spent millions redoing some of its technology, especially its light-based radar that measures elevations more exactly — an important element in predicting the impact of storm surge.

“The Gulf offshore is very shallow ... some measurements show that it's even shallower than we originally thought,” Campbell said. “That raises the amount of surge.”

Also, he said, there are some places in Lee County that are slightly lower than previously documented.

The most at-risk areas continue to be the barrier islands, Cape Coral south of Cape Coral Parkway and most of Lee County west of U.S. 41 along the north side of the Caloosahatchee River to just east of Interstate 75. That’s known as Zone A, or the red area.

Wayne Sallade, director of the Charlotte County Office of Emergency Management, said his county, like every county in the state, has updated maps. “Everyone got the updated maps in December 2010 in time for the 2011 hurricane season,” he said.

In addition, Sallade said, Charlotte got a grant for, and has deployed stop sign stickers, that designate evacuation zones and clearance times in the county.

“We were the first county in the U.S. to put out the markers,” he said.

Sallade said more than 9,000 of the 10,000 stickers the county received have been deployed. “Punta Gorda, which is about 10 percent of the county, decided not to participate,” Sallade said, noting for the remainder of the county “it has been a community-wide effort and well-received.”

Technology helps

In a worst-case scenario with a monster storm hitting the area, almost all of Lee County would be affected by storm surge. Population in the five zoned areas is 600,238. The most heavily populated is Zone B, with 262,232 residents.

For those up on the latest technology, there are iPhone apps to help track storms and get evacuation information.

The News-Press offers the Hurricane Hub app that will track all Atlantic storms, provides maps, tips for before and after, and eyewitness reports. Lee County offers Lee Evac which offers information on evacuations in the county.

“It will show what evacuation area you are in,” Campbell said. “With that same app, when we issue evacuation orders, your phone will tell you if you are in an active evacuation area.”